The Office of Policy Development (OPD) had a significant role regarding the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear accident, one that continued for all remaining years of Governor Thornburgh's term in office, 1979-1987. OPD's role, as it turned out, was to monitor the subsequent research, controversies, legal issues and public concerns regarding the cleanup and potential restart of the undamaged Unit 1 reactor. In this OPD was remarkably successful, meaning that these files are an essential component to understanding the impact of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident and the complexities of contending with the aftermath.

The OPD files contain virtually every topic having to do with cleanup and restart of nuclear plants, and addressed by major public figures, citizens, associations and corporations. For example, these files contain materials from politicians and governors criticizing or supporting restart and cleanup, results of cancer studies conducted from TMI air samples, studies from other states on the regulation of nuclear power and plants, correspondence from citizens to Governor Thornburgh, proposed and adopted legislation concerning licensing and operation of nuclear plants, and memoranda to and from members of Governor Thornburgh's staff. There is a major amount of material generated by the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), the PUC (Pennsylvania's Public Utility Commission), GPU (General Public Utilities Corp, owner of TMI), and Met-Ed (Metropolitan Edison, operator of the plant).

Governor Thornburgh undertook leadership of the assessment of cost and responsibility for the prospective cleanup of the damaged reactor after the accident, in the absence of initiative by the utility, the industry, or from the federal government. The necessary research into issues of financial responsibility and feasible options for the cleanup is well represented in these files. Ultimately Thornburgh's "Cost-Sharing Plan," was put forth in July 1981 and proposed that the prospective cost of the cleanup be shared by all parties, including the State of New Jersey. In fact, the cleanup ultimately was not completed until August 1993, fourteen years after the accident.

The files also contain an extensive grouping of news clippings and news wire stories, arranged chronologically by year, 1979-1986. These well represent the period of the accident itself as well as ongoing concern about issues related to the cleanup and potential restart of the Three Mile Island plant that continued for years.

In addition, there is much material relating to the legal cases concerning the cleanup and restart controversies. Most of these cases are between individuals or groups and Met-Ed and/or the NRC. There is also material relating to the licensing and safety inspections of other nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania. Researchers should note that the legal cases following the accident and related to the cleanup and restart are well documented in the Office of Legal Counsel files here.

In general, researchers should note that Three Mile Island (TMI) is a major subject in the Governor files. In addition to OPD files there is substantial material relating to Three Mile Island (TMI) contained in other sections of the collection, such as: Press Secretary files, Three Mile Island files, and Office of General Counsel files, in addition to files of the gubernatorial staff, such as Rick Stafford and Walt Plosila.

The Office of Policy Development (OPD) files on Three Mile Island (TMI) are organized into five groups as follows: 1) Topic files, arranged alphabetically, which include many major organizations, companies, individuals, legislation, and issues that concern the cleanup of Three Mile Island units, investigations into the accident and the plant's possible reopening. Files contain, in general, news releases, correspondence, reports, memoranda and news clippings; 2) News wires from Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI), arranged chronologically, 1979-1984; 3) News clippings, arranged chronologically by year, relating to cleanup and restart, 1979-1986; 4) Legal materials, including court cases and testimonies, depositions and affidavits, arranged by docket number. Researchers should note many of the topic files also contain overlapping legal materials, but kept separate as originally ordered; 5) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NUREG) reports, arranged by NUREG number, which document safety and technical issues relating to nuclear energy and the construction of nuclear power plants.

Section: Topic files, alphabetical, 1979-1986

Box 201

Folder

1

Index to Three Mile Island (TMI) files, alphabetically arranged and updated by OPD over years 1982-1984

Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of Pennsylvania: report on survey of state agencies regarding activity intended to protect persons and property from dangers associated with nuclear power plants 1981

Specter, Senator Arlen: correspondence and memoranda regarding Governor Thornburgh's testimony before Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the Senate Appropriations Committee January, 1982

Folder

3

Specter bill: S.B. 1226 May 20, 1981

Folder

4

Stafford, Senator, chairman of the U.S. Committee on the Environment: letters and testimonies before committee 1982

Folder

5

Statistics on electric rates and public utility long-term debt 1980-1981

Commonwealth of PA, Norman and Marjorie Aamodt, UCS, and TMIA v. NRC and Met-Ed, Three Mile Island Restart, Docket Nos. 85-3301, 85-3302, 85-3310, 85-3315 (consolidated), 1984-1985: Petition for a Review of an Order of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Appendix for the Petitioner, Volume 1 July, 1984

Box 229

Folder

1

Commonwealth of PA, Norman and Marjorie Aamodt, UCS, and TMIA v. NRC and Met-Ed, Three Mile Island Restart: Petition for a Review of an Order of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Appendix for the Petitioner, Volume 2 July, 1984

"Beyond Defense-In-Depth: Cost and Funding Of State and Local Government Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support Of Commercial Nuclear Power Stations," NUREG-0553 October, 1979